Should parents feel guilty about putting their children in day care? The broad answer is no. Does this mean the Government should promote day-care? Again, the answer is no.

Parents who work and spend long hours out of the home and away from their children might have felt a few pangs of guilt after reading the front page story of this newspaper on Monday. "Busy parents risk children's health by 'not being there'," read the headline.

This was based on a perception on the part of the children themselves. A team from University College Cork and the Citizens Participation Unit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs questioned a group of children to ascertain their views on a range of topics.

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